Saturday 28 November 1663
Up and at the office sat all the morning, and at noon by Mr. Coventry’s coach to the ’Change, and after a little while there where I met with Mr. Pierce, the chyrurgeon, who tells me for good newes that my Lord Sandwich is resolved to go no more to Chelsy, and told me he believed that I had been giving my Lord some counsel, which I neither denied nor affirmed, but seemed glad with him that he went thither no more, and so I home to dinner, and thence abroad to Paul’s Church Yard, and there looked upon the second part of Hudibras, which I buy not, but borrow to read, to see if it be as good as the first, which the world cry so mightily up, though it hath not a good liking in me, though I had tried by twice or three times reading to bring myself to think it witty. Back again home and to my office, and there late doing business and so home to supper and to bed. I have been told two or three times, but to-day for certain I am told how in Holland publickly they have pictured our King with reproach. One way is with his pockets turned the wrong side outward, hanging out empty; another with two courtiers picking of his pockets; and a third, leading of two ladies, while others abuse him; which amounts to great contempt.
27 Annotations
First Reading
jeannine • Link
"for certain I am told how in Holland publickly they have pictured our King with reproach. One way is with his pockets turned the wrong side outward, hanging out empty; another with two courtiers picking of his pockets; and a third, leading of two ladies, while others abuse him; which amounts to great contempt"
Great contempt for sure, but unfortunately Holland has portrayed a very accurate description of Charles II.
Robert Gertz • Link
"...pictured our King with reproach."
Very accurate indeed. But cause for immediate and all-out war of course. Well, it's something...After all the propaganda mills would have a job painting the Dutch in "beastly Hun" colors.
"Here now! The damned Dutchmen 'ave gone and portrayed our beloved King in accurate but unflaterin' terms! Tis time for war, mates!!"
Silence among those passing...
"And it'll mean more trade for us!! And more jobs!!"
Faint interest. Most pass on.
"Creed?" Sam eyes the sighing, would-be drummer of patriotic fervor.
"Pepys."
"What the devil are you doing shouting like that?"
"Oh...Just out and about on orders to test the waters of war enthusiasm."
"And...?"
"At least this bunch isn't asking for copies of the Dutch pictures of the King and praising the artist." Creed shakes head.
Terry F • Link
"I neither denied nor affirmed"
An early instance of dealing thus with the press, or its reporters - for Dr. Pearce (Pierce) is sought after "for gossip and good company" (as Pauline gleaned from Tomalin) - so whatever he says to Pearce will soon be abroad.
Todd Bernhardt • Link
"which the world cry so mightily up, though it hath not a good liking in me, though I had tried by twice or three times reading to bring myself to think it witty"
Personal taste can be a lonely thing, my friend. I know the feeling -- people cry up various TV shows and bands to me that (after watching or listening, to find out what all the hubbub's about) I *know* are crap -- I just have to keep my thoughts to myself...
Nate • Link
"I neither denied nor affirmed"
It would be interesting to know how he sidestepped the question as he almost certainly, IMO, didn't say that he was unable to deny or affirm as that would be a tacit admission.
Terry F • Link
"I neither denied nor affirmed"
Suppose he expressed pleasure at Milord's reported plan to change his pattern of conduct?
Michael Robinson • Link
second part of Hudibras ... to see if it be as good as the first
Pepy's may be aluding to one, of four, editions of a spurious continuation which appeared in 1663. The "second part. By the authour (sic) of the first," ie Butler, is dated 1664.
Pedro • Link
"Holland publickly they have pictured our King with reproach."
Another example of the growing tension between the countries, and that it was not just one sided. Propoganda will no doubt play a major role in bringing about an atmosphere for war.
As with the First Dutch War the English will site the Amboyna Massacre of 1623 to paint the Dutch in a bad light...
The war was supported in England by much propaganda; the cause célèbre was the previous Amboyna Massacre, where in 1623...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambo…
Hugh Yeman • Link
Today is all about the public gaze and Sam's reaction to it. It's rather telling that, great as Sam's relief is at the news about Sandwich, his desire to play his cards close to the vest with Pierce is just as great. Then we hear of Sam's vain attempts to love the latest bestseller as much as everyone else seems to, and I have to think that its content has something to do with his reaction; given his shifting allegiances a very popular anti-Cromwellian screed must have made him uncomfortable. Then to cap it
off we see Sam take umbrage at the wicked Dutch disrespect for his king.
In a single day we see the public gaze directed at the lord whom he advised, public scorn directed at the Lord Protector he once cheered, and foreign scorn directed at the King he now serves. No wonder that even in his own diary he seems uncomfortable dwelling on that gaze too much!
Clement • Link
"I can neither deny nor affirm, that in spite of great risk to my own career I bravely spit out your name first as a primary source of rumour, faster than a baby ejecting mashed turnips."
From Sam's weepy interview with Sandwich on 22 Nov: "...and so did tell him Mr. Pierce, the chyrurgeon..."
So Sam really couldn't take credit with Pierce, becuase the next question inevitably would have been, "What magic words did you say?"
Jesse • Link
"with his pockets turned the wrong side outward, hanging out empty"
Not having sartorial knowledge of this time I'm somewhat surprised that people (commonly?) kept money in their pockets. I wonder how far back the image of empty pockets has been used and whether this is one of the earliest?
Bradford • Link
Astute, Jesse; Merriam-Webster says "pickpocket" dates back to at least 1591, so there were pockets then to be picked---while a "cutpurse," who severs the little money-bag from your belt, dates from the 14th century.
Nate makes an excellent point as well: consider all those current news items where the subject being questioned neither denies nor affirms a fact---and thus tacitly admits its truth. For if one were confident of roundly denying an accusation, it would be to one's advantage to do so.
Pedro • Link
Pickpockets.
History shows that Charlie certainly did not have his pockets picked!
Bradford • Link
Lady Castlemaine knew how.
jeannine • Link
"History shows that Charlie certainly did not have his pockets picked"
Pedro-nobody would have bothered as Charles never had any money anyway and everyone knew it!
djc • Link
Pockets, but perhaps not at this time commonly sewn into garments, but more like a bag or purse tied on.
cumgranosalis • Link
Pockets: the Ladies kept their little bags of money next to their skin:
selections from OED:Pickpocket [< PICK- comb. form + POCKET n., after to pick (a person's) pocket (see PICK v.1 11c). Cf. earlier PICKPURSE n.]
A. n. 1. A person who steals from or picks pockets (see PICK v.1 11c). Also fig. and in extended use.
1591 R. GREENE Notable Discouery of Coosenage To Rdr. sig. B2v, The picke-pockets and cut-purses are nothing so daungerous to meete withal, as these Coosening Cunny-catchers.
purse : [OE. and ME. purs, app. ad. late L. bursa purse (whence OF. borse (12th c.), F. bourse, Pr., It. borsa, Sp., Pg. bolsa); the later forms pors, pours, and those with final e, porse, pourse, purse, were evidently influenced by the Fr. word.
The initial p for b is not certainly explained: influence of OE. pusa, posa, ON. posi bag, has been suggested. As to the loss of the final vowel, if the word was taken as a strong feminine, it would naturally have the form purs, in oblique cases purse. L. bursa (byrsa), a. [Gr]..... hide, leather, appears in the grammarians Servius and Donatus c 385, and appears to be confined to glossaries before A.D. 600; it is glossed corium. For history see Körting s.v.]
A. Illustration of Forms.
1, 3-6 purs, 3-4 pors, 4 pours. a1100 3 (in oblique case), 4- purse, (4-6 porse, pourse, 5 porce, 5-7 purce, 6 pursse). 1250 B. Signification. I. A money-bag or -receptacle and its contents.
B. Signification. I. A money-bag or -receptacle and its contents.
1. a. A small pouch or bag of leather or other flexible material, used for carrying money on the person; originally a small bag drawn together at the mouth with a thong or strings, now of various shapes and fastened in various ways. a1100
1546 J. HEYWOOD Prov. (1867) 22 There is nothing in this worlde that agreeth wurs, Then dooeth a Ladies hert and a beggers purs.
1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 195 Preistis, keip no gold, Siluer nor cunee in eour purs
money
3. A sum of money collected as a present or the like; a sum subscribed as a prize for the winner in a race or other contest. 1650
b. spec. The scrotum. c1440
1602 T. FITZHERBERT Apol. 8 A *pursecatcher vpon the high-way, &..a common horse-stealer.
1611 FLORIO, Vuota~borse, a nicke-name giuen to Lawyers or Phisicians, a *purce-emptier
1624 CAPT. SMITH Virginia Pref. 4 Thrust the beggar out of dores That is not *Purse-lyn'd.
598 SYLVESTER Du Bartas I. iii.
1085 Proud *Purse-Leaches, Harpies of Westminster.
1648 Brit. Bellman in Harl. Misc. VII. 625 So long as you harpyes, you sucking purse~leeches, and your implements be our masters.
Robert Gertz • Link
Hoot mann, the Englander dog-king and his family still owe for their room and board while enjoying the safety and hospitality of the Republic.
Pedro • Link
Pockets picked.
I was refering, well, more like old Tom the cat...
"If there are any lady cats out there, you have no fear, I have had my pockets picked therefore no little ones to feed."
http://profile.myspace.com/index.…
Nix • Link
"I neither denied nor affirmed" --
Chelsea? Milord? A wench? Really? Why, my dear Pierce, I had no idea. I'm afraid I've been so tied up at the Navy Office I've been completely out of the loop on Court news.
Nix • Link
"two courtiers picking of his pockets" --
Much easier when the trousers are draped over the chair.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Pepys's "neither denied nor affirmed" is very like what is now called in U.S. law, the Glomar response (aka Glomarization or Glomar denial), sc. a "neither confirm nor deny" response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glo…
Terry Foreman • Link
"By the authour (sic) of the first [part of Hudibras]," ie Butler, is dated 1664. "
Licensed on 5 November 1663, and bearing the date of the following year (as books appearing at the end of the year usually did). Pepys bought it on 10 December. For his initial dislike of the first part see http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
"bearing the date of the following year (as books appearing at the end of the year usually did)" (When did this begin?) [ and way OT?: "The practice of identifying automobiles by 'model-year' started in the U.S. Alfred Sloan, the long-time president and chairman of GM, extended the idea of yearly fashion change from clothing to automobiles in the 1920s. The Great Depression prompted other U.S. OEMs to also start selling "next" year's vehicles in October of the preceding year....In later decades, the model-year (October-September) became entrenched in the U.S. as new-model advertising was coordinated to the launch of the new television season in September. http://www.automotive-fleet.com/b…
Sasha Clarkson • Link
I wonder if one paid a fee to borrow the book?
StanB • Link
Original copies of Hudibras are still to be had I have a copy of Butlers work myself got it off EBay also i have an original Eikon Basilike 1649 version , to complete my collection I'm now after the rebuff to the Basilike, Miltons Eikonoklastes just need a decent copy of it now
Louise Hudson • Link
No "poor wife" today. She is apparently over the moon with Sam's promise of a trip to Calais.
Chris Squire UK • Link
Hudibras Part 1 Canto 1
-------------------------------------------------
Sir Hudibras his passing worth,
The manner how he sallied forth;
His arms and equipage are shown;
His horse's virtues, and his own.
Th' adventure of the bear and fiddle
Is sung, but breaks off in the middle.
-------------------------------------------------
When civil dudgeon a first grew high,
And men fell out they knew not why?
When hard words, jealousies, and fears,
Set folks together by the ears,
And made them fight, like mad or drunk,
For Dame Religion, as for punk;
Whose honesty they all durst swear for,
Though not a man of them knew wherefore:
When Gospel-Trumpeter, surrounded
With long-ear'd rout, to battle sounded,
And pulpit, drum ecclesiastick,
Was beat with fist, instead of a stick;
Then did Sir Knight abandon dwelling,
And out he rode a colonelling . .
http://www.exclassics.com/hudibra…